Jaitley also questioned the complete silence on the continuing saga of violence in Kerala of those who otherwise speak against any similar incidents in other parts of the country.

He blamed the ruling party there for the recent upsurge in violence. (ANI photo)

Strongly lashing out at CPI (M), Union minister Arun Jaitley on Sunday said that had it happened in BJP-ruled states, awards would have been returned. He also questioned the “complete silence” on the “continuing saga of violence in Kerala” of those who otherwise speak against any similar incidents in other parts of the country. Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley slammed the ruling CPI(M) in Kerala for the political violence in the state, accusing it of using its cadres to eliminate rival party workers. At a condolence meeting here after visiting the family members of slain RSS worker Rajesh Edavakode, he said the RSS and the BJP could not be suppressed through violence.

Jaitley charged the CPI-M with using its cadres to “eliminate its political opponents and creating an environment of violence” and added that the party needed to “introspect”. The minister blamed the ruling party there for the recent upsurge in violence in the state which saw the brutal killing of Rajesh by a gang on July 29 and attack on houses of several BJP and RSS workers.

Jaitley, whose visit to the state was widely seen as an attempt by the BJP to bring into national focus the issue of alleged increasing attacks on his party’s cadres by the CPI-M, said that the LDF government was yet to take steps to check such incidents.

CPI-M state Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, however, alleged that the political violence had increased in the state after the visit of BJP President Amit Shah in early June. The BJP was implementing “Amit Shah’s plan” in the state by allegedly attacking party strongholds, Balakrishnan said.

Jaitley, who visited the house of Rajesh, said the “karyakarta was “brutally butchered” and had 70-80 wounds onhis body.

The minister earlier met and consoled the aged parents, widow and young children of Rajesh and spent some time hearing their problems.

The state had been witnessing a cycle of violence involving the BJP-RSS combine and CPI-M workers with the capital district being rocked by incidents of attacks on houses of rival party cadres.